The executions of female SS guards from the Stutthof concentration camp after World War II marked one of the few instances where women were held fully accountable for their roles in Nazi atrocities. These women, though often dismissed as mere clerks or assistants, were found guilty of active participation in murder, torture, and the abuse of prisoners. Their actions during the war—and the brutality they inflicted—led to their trials and ultimately, their executions.
Stutthof: A Forgotten Camp of Horror
Stutthof, located near Gdańsk in Nazi-occupied Poland, was established in 1939 and became one of the first and last Nazi concentration camps in operation. Over 110,000 prisoners passed through Stutthof, including Jews, Poles, Soviet POWs, and political prisoners. Around 65,000 people died in the camp, often through starvation, beatings, execution, and gas chambers.
What made Stutthof particularly horrifying was the sadistic behavior of its guards, including the SS women, who were trained and deployed in the final years of the war.
Who Were These Women?
Many of the female guards at Stutthof were recruited from local areas, some with little education or military training. Despite this, they quickly adopted the same level of cruelty as their male counterparts. Some of the most infamous SS women at Stutthof included:
Jenny-Wanda Barkmann – known for selecting prisoners for the gas chambers and beating women to death
Ewa Paradies – who brutalized prisoners and took part in selections for execution
Elisabeth Becker – involved in forced labor oversight and prisoner selections
These women did not merely follow orders—they actively participated in murder, often with shocking enthusiasm.
The Stutthof Trials and Sentencing
In 1946, the Polish authorities conducted the Stutthof Trials in Gdańsk. The tribunal tried 13 former SS personnel and camp kapos (prisoner functionaries), including five women. Survivors testified to the horrific abuses: random beatings, selections for death, starvation punishments, and even the gassing of children.
All five women were found guilty of crimes against humanity. The court concluded that their participation in the machinery of death could not be excused by their gender, age, or subordinate status.